Chronicle of House Blackfish

An old house, created during the Rhoynar invasion, House Blackfish has its holdings on a small island in the Shield islands off the middle western coast of Westeros, which is part of The Reach.

The House was founded when the first Lord Blackfish heroically saved the King’s life during a battle during the Rhoynar invasion and the newly raised Lord Blackfish was presented with a small island in the Shield islands.

Sadly, shortly after this event the lands of House Blackfish were devastated when a plague struck the island, killing most of the inhabitants, including the greater part of the Blackfish family. The only saving grace for the rest of the Shield islands population was that the Blackfish island was easily quarantined, preventing the spread of this virile disease. Thus the remains of the Blackfish family were forced to inter breed in order to strengthen the blood line and prevent it from dying out. The details of these transgressions are lost in the mists of time, but the repercussions resurfaced generations later.

The next heir of the house was born with severe physical deformities, due to the previous inbreeding and was kept locked away in the families tower, unseen by the rest of the islanders for nearly ten years. Finally a retainer of the family saw the boy and was so shocked by his appearance that he rose the population up in revolt to burn this monstrosity from the land. The revolution was brief and bloody and was resolved when it was agreed that the younger brother of the family would become the rightful heir, despite being an infant, as he was clearly in good health and without disability.

This decision however had disastrous consequences years later when it turned out that this heir, while sound of body, was definitely not sound of mind and his resulting madness led to a great deal of loss and grief on the Blackfish island.

These tough times for House Blackfish were followed by many generations of peace and prosperity. The trade in fish to settlements on the mainland enabled the house to improve its holdings and the islands infrastructure.

Finally in its most recent history the family regained some of its former glory when they offered shelter to a small group of people, during Robert’s Rebellion, without initially realising that they were members of Robert’s family being hunted by the Targaryen’s. The island communities stoic defence of the King’s relatives launched House Blackfish from obscurity back into awareness amongst the noble families of Westeros.

The current head of house is Lady Elyana Blackfish, who is currently in mourning for the death of her eldest child and heir Bryn. Her only other child Lady Elspeth Blackfish now finds herself heir to the head of the house and a long way from home.

House Blackfish currently has two banner houses, House Seahawke (of the Shield islands) and House Wyl (of Dorne).

“When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground.”
-Cersei Lannister

“Some battles are won with swords and spears, others with quills and ravens.”
-Tywin Lannister

“Words are like arrows…once loosed you cannot call them back.”
- Doran Martell

“No wall can keep you safe. A wall is only as strong as the men who defend it.”
- Eddard Stark